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Roberto De Zerbi needs to improve Tottenham Hotspur‘s balance between dealing with and approaching non-penalty set-pieces ahead of facing Sunderland.

The Italian is preparing for his first game in charge at Tottenham after being appointed on a five-year deal following the dismissal of Igor Tudor last month.

The 46-year-old has been tasked with keeping Tottenham in the Premier League, with Spurs currently one point and one place above the relegation zone.

They could drop into the bottom three for the first time this season as 18th-placed West Ham host Premier League basement side Wolves on Friday night.

As Tottenham try end a barren spell without a win, the sheer challenge De Zerbi has on his hands has reared into full view.

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Tottenham must fix set-piece issues

Tottenham haven’t won in the league since beating Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park on 28 December. Since then, Spurs have parted ways with managers Thomas Frank and Tudor.

They do have a good record against Sunderland, though. Tottenham are unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League games against the Mackems (10 wins and five draws) since a 3-1 loss in April 2010.

However, they haven’t won any of their last 13 league games, including eight losses and five draws.

Only once in their league history have Tottenham had a longer run without victory, going 16 matches from December 1934 to April 1935.

That run has seen them plummet from a mid-table team to one fighting for their lives to stay in the Premier League, whilst also being the reigning Europa League champions.

Ahead of facing Sunderland, statistics show that only Leeds United (35.1 per cent) have scored a higher proportion of their Premier League goals this season from non-penalty set-plays than Tottenham (35 per cent, 14/40).

Conversely, only 20th-placed Wolves (11 per cent) and Brentford (16.7 per cent) have seen a lower share of their goals conceded come from non-penalty set-pieces than Spurs (18 per cent and 9/50).

There are lots of issues facing Tottenham but this is one area they may want to address. Fixing this imbalance could be key to their survival.

Roberto De Zerbi eyes the right side of Tottenham history

One of Tottenham’s biggest concerns is their injury list, with Mohammed Kudus the latest to suffer a setback in his recovery.

While Tottenham have had very little to cheer about for a long time, their away record is much better than their one at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In fact, 20 of their 30 points in the Premier League this season have come on their travels. Only Ipswich Town in 2024-25 have ever had a higher proportion of their points in a season in the competition come away from home (68 per cent – 15/22).

Incidentally, only one of the last 10 Tottenham managers have lost their first Premier League game in charge of the club (six wins and three draws).

That unlucky one was Tudor, as Spurs lost 4-1 to Arsenal in February. De Zerbi did fail to win any of his opening five league games at Brighton but he has won his first game in charge at Sassuolo, Shakhtar Donetsk and Marseille.

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Richarlison has a penchant for scoring late goals, and that could see him earn cult hero status at Tottenham Hotspur between now and the end of the season.

The 28-year-old has always cut a divisive figure among Tottenham fans ever since he signed from Everton in the summer of 2022.

He has scored some massive and timely goals during his Spurs career so far, with many of them often being late in matches, popping up with a goal in the decisive moments.

On the flip side, it’s also true that he’s never exceeded 12 goals in a single season in all competitions for the Lilywhites, and that came in the 2023-24 campaign.

Currently at the top of Tottenham’s scoring charts with nine league goals this season, the Brazilian international is one of Spurs’ last hopes of surviving from their relegation battle.

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How many late goals has Richarlison scored for Spurs this season?

Richarlison is contracted to Spurs until June 2027, meaning that this summer could present the final opportunity for the Club to bank a significant transfer fee on the striker.

However, before anything like that is decided, he’s got a huge part to play in helping rescue the Lilywhites’ season under new boss Roberto De Zerbi.

The Brazilian has found a bit of form over the past few weeks too, with two goals and an assist from his last five games in all competitions.

If he can keep this kind of form up for the final few games of the season, then he could well be one of the poster boys of De Zerbi’s side that escaped the drop.

As aforementioned, Richarlison has routinely been the architect behind some of Tottenham’s late goals this season, but the stats show just how much he prefers finding the net in the second half of games.

Indeed, six of his nine league goals in 2025-26 have arrived in the second half, with two coming between the 76th and 90th minute, and one in stoppage time against Man United back on matchday 11.

He’s also found the net twice between the 46th and 60th minute in 2025-26, whilst also scoring once between the 61st and 75th minute respectively.

Richarlison is on a current run of second-half goals

So, it’s this knack for scoring late on in games that could see him ascend to cult hero status at Tottenham if they are the strikes that keep the Club in the Premier League.

Thankfully for Spurs, he’s currently on a run of form of scoring exclusively in the second half of games, with all three of his most recent goals in all competitions coming after the interval.

History repeated itself when he bagged a 90th-minute goal at Anfield on 15 March, after netting in the 66th minute in the 2-1 defeat to Fulham on 1 March respectively.

Richarlison started his current second-half scoring streak on 20 December 2025, when again he found the net against Liverpool, however this time it came in the 83rd minute of Spurs’ 2-1 home loss.

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Luca Williams-Barnett has been close to making his Tottenham Hotspur breakthrough this season, and Mohammed Kudus’ injury could perfectly align the stars for the youth prospect.

Spurs were dealt a hammer blow when they learned that Kudus will likely miss the remainder of the season after suffering a setback in his rehabilitation.

The Ghanaian was making good progress and looked as though he could have had an impact under Roberto De Zerbi, but his latest setback could even rule him out of playing in the World Cup with his nation this summer.

This leaves the Spurs boss with food for thought, as a lack of quality and depth in the wide positions is evident.

The Lilywhites may just need that extra bit of attacking impotence for the Premier League’s run-in, and Williams-Barnett could be the difference.

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These stats show why Luca Williams-Barnett deserves a chance

Williams-Barnett could be important if Spurs are relegated, but the internal hope is that the second scenario doesn’t happen.

With that said, it’s best to promote the youth now, and the 17-year-old already seems ready for the first team through his performances in the Premier League 2.

As seen in the table above, Williams-Barnett has netted six times in the Premier League 2 for Tottenham’s U18s this season, and has five assists to his name after 795 minutes of playing time.

Spurs are missing an attacking spark in attack, and the Englishman’s chance creation rate of 2.72 per match will surely stand out to De Zerbi.

The versatile forward completes 2.26 dribbles per game and his dribbling success rate is 44.4 per cent, while drawing 1.47 fouls each match.

Williams-Barnett has an average FotMob rating of 7.81, which is interestingly higher by 0.77 than Tottenham’s best-rated player in the Premier League, Cristian Romero, whose record stands at 7.04.

Does Roberto De Zerbi give youngsters a chance?

Some would argue that the teenager would never be given a chance due to the current state of affairs that the Lilywhites find themselves in, and that’s a fair point.

However, when looking at De Zerbi’s history of promoting youth players, it’s clear to see that Williams-Barnett has a good chance of playing a part from now until the end of the season.

While at Brighton, De Zerbi pushed the likes of Evan Ferguson, Julio Enciso, and Facundo Buonanotte through the Seagulls’ ranks.

He also developed young stars like Carlos Baleba, who was 19 when the Italian took charge, with the player now wanted by elite Premier League sides.

It would not be surprising to see the former Brighton boss do the same with Williams-Barnett, if not this season, then next, at the very least.

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Sunderland welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Stadium of Light as they look to spoil Roberto De Zerbi‘s welcome party.

Spurs turned to the Italian over the international break, who joins the club with the immediate goal of keeping the Lilywhites in the division.

After lifting the Europa League last May, Tottenham have stunned both themselves the rest of the division by finding themselves in a battle for their Premier League survival.

With seven matches to go, De Zerbi has been entrusted with not just rescuing the club, but instilling the values seen during his previous successful period, when he guided Brighton to the Europa League.

Sunderland were promoted to the top flight last May, and as they have done so often this season, will be looking to spoil the day for one of the league’s biggest clubs.

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Form guide

Sunderland (last six games all comps): WLLWDL

Tottenham (last six games all comps): LWDLLL

Head-to-head

With the sides meeting back in early January, striker Brian Brobbey would equalise late on for the Black Cats as Sunderland faced Spurs for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign – a year that ended in relegation for the North East club.

Naturally, given the relative difference in success of the pair since the inception of the Premier League, it is Spurs who carry the better record, with 21 wins in total.

Though, past form will not mean too much heading into the weekend, with visitors Spurs continuing to struggle at the bottom end of the standings.

Team news and predicted lineups

On the team news front, similar issues continue to plague Tottenham, with multiple key players remaining sidelined, while wideman Mohammed Kudus has suffered a setback on his road to recovery and is not expected to feature for the rest of the season.

James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and Yves Bissouma remain on the long-term absentee list for Tottenham alongside Kudus, while Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Saar and shotstopper Guglielmo Vicario will all likely miss Sunday’s clash.

With up to five changes likely after the 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest before the international break, it is a far from ideal situation for De Zerbi to walk in to, with an extremely thin squad of players to choose from.

For Sunderland, doubts continue to surround Dan Ballard and Robin Roefs, while Bertrand Traore, Nilson Angulo, Romaine Mundle and Jocelin Ta Bi are not expected to return until at least the final weeks of the season.

Sunderland predicted XI: Ellborg; Geertruida, O’Nien, Alderete, Hume; Xhaka, Sadiki; Rigg, Diarra, Talbi; Brobbey

Tottenham predicted XI: Kinsky; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Bergvall; Kolo Muani, Simons, Tel; Solanke

We say: Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham

Heading into the weekend, the hope is that the old adage of ‘new manager bounce’ applies once again.

Spurs are in desperate need of a result, and the 3-0 defeat to Forest before the break should have kicked some life into the players when it comes to dragging the club out of this mess.

With De Zerbi now at the helm, the plan will be to keep the club in the division, before a complete reset from top to bottom over the summer.

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Roberto De Zerbi is facing challenges ahead of his maiden voyage with Tottenham Hotspur away to Sunderland.

The Italian has come in with the remit of keeping the Lilywhites in the Premier League by any means with seven games to go.

He faces a difficult start to his career back in England with a trip to face the Black Cats, who are coming off the back of a 2-1 win against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

Things certainly won’t be easy at the Stadium of Light, especially with a number of key players absent once again for Spurs.

Tottenham are just days away from their clash with Sunderland, and now training ground images have emerged that show players are willing to fight through the pain barrier to play their part.

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Pape Matar Sarr spotted in training with shoulder support

The North London club just can’t catch a break when it comes to big-name stars picking up injury concerns on a regular basis.

There are currently up to 10 players on the treatment table with the chance of missing the trip to face Sunderland on Sunday.

De Zerbi will have to deal with the fitness problems facing his squad, and it doesn’t look like getting better anytime soon, with Sarr facing issues.

The Senegal international suffered a shoulder injury while on international break with Senegal, despite playing just 10 minutes for his country.

He has now been spotted in training on Hotspur Way, but is wearing a support to help play through the pain barrier in N17.

His availability will represent a boost for the Lilywhites, but he clearly isn’t going to be at full flight travelling to the north east.

Still, the fact Sarr has seemingly made himself available for selection, despite the injury blow, is a positive sign.

De Zerbi will hope for the best as Tottenham prepares to face Sunderland, but being without the best version of Sarr will of course be a blow.

How good can Sarr be for Tottenham?

It has been a shocking campaign for the North London club as injuries continue to tear them apart.

The Senegalese ace has been impacted by fitness problems as much as anyone after starting just 13 games and coming off the bench in nine.

In that time, he has contributed to five goals and has been a defensive force in the heart of midfield for the Lilywhites.

Sarr has completed 106 defensive actions and has won 83 duels in N17, and is unfortunate to have secured just three clean sheets.

De Zerbi will be confident of getting the most out of the midfielder, but may not see the best of him while he’s struggling with a shoulder problem.

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Roberto De Zerbi is set to take charge of his first match as Tottenham Hotspur boss with a trip to Sunderland this weekend.

The Italian was placed in charge over the international break, and given one task this season: to keep Spurs in the Premier League.

The Lilywhites are hanging on by a thread just outside the relegation zone, while a West Ham win against Wolves would see them slip in.

Travelling to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, De Zerbi is looking to make an immediate impact on the touchline before instilling the ideas seen during his successful period with Brighton.

Though, based on the latest prediction from Opta’s supercomputer, Tottenham’s survival chances are set to be impacted on Sunday.

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Tottenham could be dealt hammer blow in relegation battle

After winning the Europa League May, the current campaign was expected to be one of further progression at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Instead, things have continued to worsen, with Spurs now fighting for their lives at the bottom of the standings – something that is predicted to continue.

Sunderland were promoted to the Premier League last May, and have settled into top flight life seamlessly.

And based on the figures from Opta, this will continue as they host Tottenham on Sunday, with Regis Le Bris’ side given a 43.2 per cent chance of taking victory against the North London scrappers.

With De Zerbi taking charge of his first match at the helm, Spurs fans are expecting a turnaround that will see the club shift away from the drop zone.

However, they could well find themselves in there by the end of the matchweek – a disastrous outcome a club that tasted European silverware just under a year ago.

Sunderland will provide a stern test for Tottenham

For De Zerbi, there aren’t many more difficult first matches to have than a trip to Sunderland.

Le Bris’ side have settled back into Premier League life perfectly, and have even found themselves among the European chasing pack at points this season.

As of now, the Black Cats sit 11th in the league – 13 points clear of Spurs.

And while Sunderland’s form has dipped since the turn of the year, the confidence will still be flowing after their last gasp winner against rivals Newcastle before the break.

If Spurs are able to make the trip to the North East, silence the crowd and bring home the points, it will be a very successful weekend for the Lilywhites.

With West Ham hosting Wolves on Friday, the chance is there for Tottenham to drop into the relegation zone before Sunday’s clash.

Winning for the first time since December and climbing back out of the drop zone would be the perfect start for the new boss.

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Chris Sutton has questioned the “odd” long-term appointment of Roberto De Zerbi, while predicting an opening loss for the new Tottenham Hotspur boss at Sunderland.

Tottenham originally wanted to appoint De Zerbi in the summer but after parting company with Igor Tudor, amid an increasingly desperate situation in the Premier League relegation battle, Spurs signed the Italian on a five-year deal.

This will be the 46-year-old’s ninth managerial appointment in the space of less than 13 years, which has led ex-Celtic man Sutton to scratch his head over the length of his Tottenham contract.

In the immediate term, Tottenham are preparing to face European hopefuls Sunderland on Sunday, in the former Brighton boss’ first game in charge.

Tottenham are in dire need of a win at the Stadium of Light but Sutton thinks that will have to wait for another day.

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Chris Sutton references Lewis Dunk’s Roberto De Zerbi warning

De Zerbi is regarded as one of Brighton’s greatest ever managers after leading them to Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

However, when he replaced Graham Potter a couple of months into the 2022-23 season, it took time for his Brighton players to get to grips with his 4-2-3-1 formation and possession-based approach.

Sutton believes that a Tottenham team under De Zerbi – who failed to win any of his opening five games at Brighton – will be open and as a result, he forecasted a 1-0 home win for Sunderland.

He said in his BBC Sport predictions column: “What is Roberto de Zerbi going to do with Tottenham and how will he set them up? I’ve read about when he went in at Brighton and how Lewis Dunk says it took the Seagulls players a while to get up to speed, external and adapt to his demands.

“The whole situation is just odd, with De Zerbi securing a five-year contract despite only hanging around for more than two years at one of his previous eight clubs. Good luck to him, but this is a difficult place for him to start.

“Sunderland’s form at the Stadium of Light has dipped a bit since they lost their unbeaten home record against Liverpool in February, but the Black Cats will be buoyant after beating Newcastle last time out.

“If Spurs are going to play the type of football we associate with De Zerbi, they will be open and expansive, and take risks – but will they have the confidence to do that?

“Sunderland are the team that come into this game with belief. They’ve had a brilliant season and their incentive now must be to stay above Newcastle in the table.”

Tottenham suffer yet another injury blow

Tottenham have had a wretched time with injuries this season.

Key players such as James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have not kicked a ball in anger this campaign, while Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, and Lucas Bergvall have had lengthy spells on the sidelines.

And just when De Zerbi was hoping to call upon some of these players soon, Tottenham winger Kudus has suffered a fresh injury setback.

De Zerbi already has a huge task on his hands to keep Tottenham up, with the north London team just one point and one place above the bottom three.

And without Kudus, his task got even harder. However, this has been a kind fixture to them over the years.

Tottenham are unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League games against Sunderland (10 wins and five draws) since a 3-1 loss in April 2010.

However, Tottenham remain winless in 13 Premier League games (five draws and eight losses). Only once in their league history have they had a longer run without victory, going 16 matches from December 1934 to April 1935.

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Lucas Bergvall could return to the starting XI as Roberto De Zerbi takes to the dugout for the first time as Tottenham Hotspur boss.

The Italian took charge over the international break, with Spurs sat in a precarious position just outside the relegation zone.

The remit for now is to simply keep the Lilywhites in the Premier League, while fans will be eager to see the foundations laid for the exciting football seen during his previous spell in England, when the Italian guided Brighton to the Europa League.

Taking over a squad riddled with injuries, the first lineup selection is not set to be the easiest decision of De Zerbi’s career.

Though the hope will be that the old adage of ‘new manager bounce’ applies as Tottenham take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

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Injury delay for Mohammed Kudus sends Roberto De Zerbi back to drawing board

Making the move from West Ham last summer, Mohammed Kudus has been involved in each of Spurs’ seven league wins this season.

While his return of three goals and six assists in 26 appearances is not all too impressive, he often found himself the singular driving force behind Tottenham’s attack under Thomas Frank.

Back in January, the Ghanaian wideman was ruled out for multiple months due to a quad issue. And now, after being eased back into training, the club have confirmed that there has been a setback on his recovery – sending new boss De Zerbi back to the drawing board.

Though on a more positive note, midfielder Bergvall was back involved in the 3-0 loss against Nottingham Forest before the international break, and featured for Sweden as they secured their World Cup qualification.

With the squad thin, the young midfielder will most likely find his way into De Zerbi’s first lineup, where he could play alongside Archie Gray.

Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario will all likely miss Sunday’s clash, leaving the squad thin.

The obvious absentees make this even more of a problem for De Zerbi, with James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, Yves Bissouma and Kudus all spending months on the sidelines.

Big test for Roberto De Zerbi in Tottenham bow

When it comes to your first match in charge of a club, there aren’t many more difficult places to go than the Stadium of Light.

Following their ascent to the Premier League last May, Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats have taken to the division like a duck to water – leaving them 11th in the standings, 13 points clear of Tottenham, who remain locked in a battle for their survival.

And while Sunderland’s form has dipped since the turn of the year, the confidence will still be flowing after their last gasp winner against rivals Newcastle before the break.

If Spurs are able to make the trip to the North East, silence the crowd and bring home the points, it will be a very successful weekend for the Lilywhites.

With West Ham hosting Wolves on Friday, the chance is there for Tottenham to drop into the relegation zone before Sunday’s clash.

Winning for the first time since December and climbing back out of the drop zone would be the perfect start for the new boss.

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Tottenham Hotspur have won seven Premier League games this season, and Mohammed Kudus has been involved in every single one of them.

The 25-year-old was one of Tottenham’s headline signings from this season’s summer transfer window, joining in a big-money move from West Ham.

An exciting and versatile forward, the Ghanaian international had enjoyed two excellent years at the London Stadium, and would add real star power to Spurs’ attack force.

Three goals and five assists from 26 appearances in all competitions this season was an impressive return given the Lilywhites’ struggles, and he’s been one of their best and most consistent performers in 2025-26.

Tottenham have just seven games to save their season, but a fresh injury revelation regarding him on Thursday now only serves to nudge Spurs closer to the unthinkable prospect of Championship football.

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What is Tottenham’s record with and without Mohammed Kudus?

Kudus has suffered an injury setback, as it’s now been reported that he could be forced to undergo surgery that would likely end his season, and even threaten his World Cup chances too.

Indeed, he’s not kicked a ball in anger since being withdrawn in the 19th minute against Sunderland on 4 January, in what has turned out to be a real watershed moment in Spurs’ season.

Why? Well, because since that aforementioned 1-1 draw with Sunderland, Tottenham are yet to register a single Premier League win.

Spurs have lost eight and drawn three of their 11 league games since then, which is the kind of form that is not going to be good enough to keep them in the top flight.

Of the five games in which Kudus has provided at least one direct goal contribution this season, Tottenham have lost just once against Fulham on matchday 13.

So, it’s clear that with Kudus in the team, Spurs are a far more successful side than when he’s not, and thus the news that he may not play another minute for them this term is hugely significant to their survival chances.

Kudus would be one of Tottenham’s biggest relegation regrets

Of course, should Tottenham be condemned to second tier football for next season, there is sure to be a mass exodus of their most prized possessions.

Kudus is one of those, and given that he’s proven himself to be an elite player at Premier League and Eredivisie level with Ajax, it’s fair to say he wouldn’t be sticking around for the Championship.

That would be a huge shame for Spurs, as at 25 and entering his prime years, Kudus could be one of the poster boys of the Roberto De Zerbi era in N17.

Or, the Ghanaian may not get the chance to forge the legacy he surely can at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which would rob the Lilywhites faithful of a player that could’ve gone on to become a special player for them.

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Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a new contract for rising star Malachi Hardy.

Spurs announced the contract extension on Thursday, with defender Hardy signing a long-term agreement to remain at Hotspur Way.

Roberto De Zerbi has recently been confirmed as the new head coach in North London, but the Italian’s arrival hasn’t slowed things down.

While injuries continue to hit the first team hard, those in the academy will be pushing to get their chances in the Premier League.

Jun’ai Byfield and James Roswell are just two of those to make their senior debuts in recent months, with Hardy possibly one of the next in line.

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Harry Gray reacts to new Tottenham agreement

Harry Gray’s name may ring a bell around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and not just because of his brother, Archie.

Gray is a natural centre-forward, compared to his brother, who thrives in midfield, and was also linked with a move to North London following the £40million deal for his older sibling.

He is still clearly keeping a close eye on all things Lilywhite, too.

Hardy reacted to his new long-term contract with a series of images on Instagram, with eagle-eyed fans noticing that Gray was quick to like.

Among the others to send messages of congratulations were Byfield, Tye Hall, and Oliver Boast, who actually signed from Leeds earlier this season.

What is the link between Harry Gray and Malachi Hardy?

The pairing will have most likely met during international duty with England.

Hardy, a ball-winning central defender, has captained his country at youth level, with both representing the Three Lions at under-17s.

Gray has yet to go past that level, although Hardy has already gone two steps up and is currently strutting his stuff with the under-19s, making his debut at the end of March.

Unfortunately for Hardy, his debut at that level ended in a 3-1 defeat to Spain.

He would then go on to miss two friendlies days later against Portugal and Croatia, only managing to be named on the bench against the latter.

Being named in Champions League squads this season, albeit due to injuries around him, Hardy will be looking to translate that into senior minutes now that his contract has been sorted.

Could Gray join him soon in North London? It would take a lot of money.

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